One Month Refresh of a 2000 F-350 Diesel Engine

The owner of this F-350 drove it 3,600 miles just days after installing the engine.

Most people would give themselves months to remove, refresh and re-install a 7.3-liter Power Stroke diesel engine in an F-350 Super Duty if they planned to take that truck on a 3,600-mile road trip. Forum member “Quick444” refreshed the engine, installed a new clutch and serviced both differentials ahead of a 3,600-mile drive from Alaska to Arizona – and he did it in less than 31 days.

The Introduction

You know, the last time I pulled a 7.3 motor (on the side of a dirt road in Alaska) I ended up becoming a heavy equipment mechanic for a living. Wonder what will happen this time?

Compared to my original engine removal thread, I hope to have more cement and proper tooling this go around.

As planned, I have begun tearing into my 2000 F350 in hopes of having back together in a month, and on the road to Phoenix.

For those of you that don’t know, I bought this truck instead of fixing my beloved F250 Mugly. I bought this truck because it was priced right, offered most of the mods I didn’t have, a long bed, a manual and a King Ranch swapped interior.

I’m hoping to use this truck to drive to and from Baja Mexico from Alaska, several times as I pursue my dream of racing in the Baja 1000.

I bought this truck for pretty cheap due to a never ending oil leak around the transmission/bell housing area. I planned to just yank the motor when I bought it so I’m not upset at these events at all. Its quite fun if you are a gluten for punishment.

Things I learned:
– Wiring is a disaster.
– Headlights were a disaster.
– King Ranch heated seat wiring is a disaster
– Someone has spilled many coffees in this truck.
– Someone once had many lights hanging off the front of this truck.
– Someone went crazy with LED lights on this truck.
– Both grounds were pretty much loose.
– The EBPV was chicken wired open.
– I really hate people.

He also included a few pictures of the truck when he purchased it and before he began tearing it apart.

The Tear Down

The OP began his project by tearing apart the interior, as he was concerned that the King Ranch seats in his F-350 had not been properly installed. He was right and he quickly learned that there were a great many wiring nightmares created by the previous owner. These wiring problems were not restricted to the interior, as there was plenty of suspect wiring under the hood, but the OP eventually removed all of the questionable wiring and hooked everything up correctly.

Next, he turned his attention to the 7.3-liter Power Stroke diesel engine. When purchased, the truck had a terrible oil leak, so he planned from the beginning to remove the engine in order to find this problem. While he had the engine out, he replaced a variety of seals and fasteners to help stop the current oil leak and with the hopes of preventing more leaks in the future.

While tearing the engine apart, he discovered that one of the exhaust manifolds had been installed without a gasket, which is why it is always best to examine everything when you buy someone else’s project. You never knew what strange shortcuts they took during the build, so you should be prepared to address odd problems along the way.

Also, while the engine apart, the OP decided to rebuild the injectors and perform some other routine maintenance to increase the longevity of the F-350 and to reduce the chances of the new owner getting stuck during his 3,600-mile drive to Arizona.

Side Projects

During the process of rewiring the interior and various components under the hood, the OP also serviced the front and rear differential in the narrow 31-day window that he had before his trip across the country. That side project included free-spinning wheel hubs and a big exhaust system, because simply rewiring the interior and refreshing the engine wasn’t enough of a challenge in 31 days.

The Taco Bell Attack

About halfway through the refresh of the engine, the OP was working on the modified oil pan one afternoon when he made a quick run to the parts store. While on the road, he stopped at Taco Bell for lunch and that turned out to be a decision that he would come to regret.

Anyone who has enjoyed Taco Bell knows that from time to time, something about it doesn’t quite sit right and you find yourself frequenting the bathroom. The OP ran into that problem while finishing up the oiling portion of the engine rebuild and while we can recap that, it is best to visit that post by clicking here to get the full impact of the story.

Some Help from Friends

As the OP neared his deadline to drive the 2000 F-350 3,600 miles, several friends rallied around to help finish the project.

He was able to get the interior, differentials and engine work all buttoned up just in time for a few pre-road trip test drives.

After that, he set out with his 2000 Ford F-350 pickup on a 3,600-mile drive from Alaska to Arizona, where he spent time towing a small trailer and playing in the sand with an ATV.

In less than a month, he bought someone else’s sketchy project and built a truck that was reliable enough to drive 3,600 miles – making for one incredible build thread. On the final page, he included a bunch of pictures from his trip, so for a look at the quick refresh of the engine and all of the images of the trip, click here to read through the entire thread.